Ladies: How much protein do you eat daily? (For those exercising without focusing on muscles)

OneTwentyThree
OneTwentyThree Posts: 186 Member
edited December 2 in Health and Weight Loss
For those that are doing cardio exercises and not really focusing on building muscles. How much protein do you usually eat per day?
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Replies

  • smileymaxine
    smileymaxine Posts: 275 Member
    I can't speak for them I try keep my protein at least at 120gr a day 150+ on workout days

    You still need muscles to run or do cardio , I think the minimum for women is around 60gr or something crazy low
  • OneTwentyThree
    OneTwentyThree Posts: 186 Member
    I can't speak for them I try keep my protein at least at 120gr a day 150+ on workout days

    You still need muscles to run or do cardio , I think the minimum for women is around 60gr or something crazy low

    What kind of exercising do you do ? And what sources do you use for all that protein ? If you were to eat less than 120 do you feel less energy, hungry, etc?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    For those that are doing cardio exercises and not really focusing on building muscles. How much protein do you usually eat per day?

    To help maintain muscle mass furing weight loss, it should be around .8 to 1g per lb of lean body mass or roughly .6g to .8g per lb of weight.


    And you should do some resistance training to work your skeletal system and not just your cardio system.
  • pinkstarberry
    pinkstarberry Posts: 79 Member
    I try to eat at least 100g protein per day, since it keeps me full and I want to avoid losing too much muscle as I'm losing weight.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    I make sure I hit a minimum of 100g on days I workout, no less than 80g when I don't.

    I do have to have protein powder shakes on occasion to make sure I hit my goal but it's fine. Oddly enough, since I was overweight, I don't have a large appetite. My problem was always boredom eating (whole bags of chips) and not being active at all. So this does make it hard to meet my goal at times. Hence the shake.
  • ItsyBitsy246
    ItsyBitsy246 Posts: 307 Member
    Not enough. My goal is 100g, but typical is 50-60g. I have a hard time meeting my calorie deficit and getting enough protein at the same time. Something I need to make a point to work on.
  • srlekhak
    srlekhak Posts: 27 Member
    Between 40-60 mg. I find it very tough to include enough protein in my diet, but working on it.
  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
    25% of my daily calories are protein
  • Zipp237
    Zipp237 Posts: 255 Member
    edited July 2016
    Around the recommended amount (66g for me), but some days less and some more. Probably more Less days than More days, tbh.

    I wouldn't say that I don't focus on muscles, but I don't do it obsessively. I don't try to build big muscles and I won't follow fads like eat this many calories at these times or eat lots and lots of protein or whatever comes next. I eat a healthy, balanced diet and I exercise to keep myself toned. I don't know if you'd call that "focusing" on it or not.
  • Calimama123
    Calimama123 Posts: 128 Member
    About 150 gm/day. I eat a lot of lean turkey, chicken, eggs, and nonfat greek yogurt.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    I tend to get 1g per lbs body weight, more if I can squeeze it in.
    I am F, 62, 5'1 and 100-105 in maintenance. Keeping a higher protein level at my age is more important for muscle retention than if I was younger where .65-85g would be enough.

    Cheers, h.
  • angel7472
    angel7472 Posts: 317 Member
    125g per day. I do cardio everyday and lift 3x a week. Even just doing cardio I still do 125g a day. I eat fish, cheese, greek yogurt with protein powder, cottage cheese. Eggs once in a while.
  • jmidd97
    jmidd97 Posts: 84 Member
    I do quite a bit of sport, and found my performance improved heaps at about 125g-150g protein per day. I'm female, 5'3-5'4, 18 years old and 113lbs.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    I'm 5'2" and 125-130 pounds. I eat between 85-100 grams a day.
    I do an hour of cardio a day plus weightlifting every other day.
  • vixtris
    vixtris Posts: 688 Member
    I do cardio 5 days a week and lifting once. I average about 100g of protein daily.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    110-130g.
  • OneTwentyThree
    OneTwentyThree Posts: 186 Member
    LokiGrrl wrote: »
    I'm trying to do 30% protein which works out to about 144g. Protein is just difficult for me. I'm all like OH GOD PLEASE NO MORE TUNA. :cold_sweat:

    YES lol thats how I feel, I am so sick of chicken and tuna
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    LokiGrrl wrote: »
    I'm trying to do 30% protein which works out to about 144g. Protein is just difficult for me. I'm all like OH GOD PLEASE NO MORE TUNA. :cold_sweat:

    I so hear you on the tuna. My cat really loves me now though as she inherits the left overs. Luckily I can eat a whole lot of cottage cheese and yogurt.

    Cheers, h.
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
    edited July 2016
    I try to aim for 100-115. Some days I'm around 90. Some days it's hard for me to get a lot of protein in.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    MFP reccomended 60 g of protein so that is what I aim for.
  • abitofbliss
    abitofbliss Posts: 198 Member
    I try my best to get to 150, sometimes I'm over.. Sometimes I'm under. At least stay over 100. I ride my bike 2 hours and walk 45 mins most days.

    I agree that it's difficult to have variety in your diet while eating that much protein. My best tip is to figure out a couple of foods high in protein that you love and rotate them in as much as possible while still looking for more creative solutions. Luckily, having the same breakfast/lunch for months doesn't bother me... Then I'm more creative with snacks and dinner.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited July 2016
    90-120 g

    edit: Should have read a bit more. I do a pretty balanced routine of strength (to maintain muscle) and cardio.
  • LokiGrrl
    LokiGrrl Posts: 156 Member
    I also actively look for things I can add ground flaxseed to, but don't repeat my mistake - it is really terrible in coffee.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I might "focus on muscles" but even if I didn't I'd eat about the same. I'm usually about a gram per pound of body weight and often more than that. So 130-160 grams.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    72 g on non-workout days.
  • CoachJen71
    CoachJen71 Posts: 1,200 Member
    I eat 120g or more per day.
  • frankiesgirlie
    frankiesgirlie Posts: 669 Member
    I struggle to get over 100 grams. I would like to be closer to 150 but it's just not gonna happen.
    I'm 5'9" and 10 lbs from my goal of 140.
    I'm 55 and lift 2-3 times per week and do cardio 5-6 times per week,
    Fish, Greek yogurt, protein powder, milk, eggs and some beans are just about it.
    Thank goodness for protein powder.
  • MrsChasteen
    MrsChasteen Posts: 48 Member
    I'm 5'4" and 130lbs I do Crossfit 6 days a week and run(20-30min) 3x a week. While I would like to build lean muscle my main goal is weight lose. I follow Renaissance Periodization diet templates and I average about 1200 calories a day of food. I eat 125-150 grams of protein a day. I drink whey protein after every Crossfit workout and drink casein protein every evening at bedtime. For breakfast I almost always eat 5 eggwhites with 1.5oz of turkey sausage and for lunch and dinner I eat chicken, lean beef, and fish. I feel fuller eating more protein and working out versus a few years ago when I was dieting at 1200cals but not active. The protein keeps me full longer. Usually 40-50% of my calories is protein.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    I'm a believer in the 0.6g-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight idea. I mostly row (lots on-water in Spring through Fall, less on the machine in Winter), spin, and bike a little. I try to do more lifting in the off-season, but have to admit I'm not doing much/any in season.

    In deficit, I was probably near the 0.6g/goal-pound level a bit more often, but now, at goal weight (120 pounds), I try to exceed 100g protein daily, and normally succeed, often by quite a bit.

    I'm ovo-lacto vegetarian. I energetically avoid using protein powder, protein bars, fake meat or the like - I just don't find them tasty or satisfying. Life is too short to eat things that aren't tasty or satisfying, when there are nutritious foods available that hit those buttons.
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